Health benefits of tamoxifen beyond breast cancer treatment
In addition to treating breast cancer, tamoxifen has other health benefits. Tamoxifen may:
- Improve your blood cholesterol profile by lowering LDL levels (the "bad" cholesterol). A better cholesterol profile may lower your risk of heart disease.
- Help maintain bone density and thus, lower your risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures (in postmenopausal women).
Tamoxifen as chemoprevention (a risk-lowering drug)
Among cancer-free women who have a high risk of developing breast cancer (including those with atypical hyperplasia or lobular carcinoma in situ) tamoxifen can be taken to lower risk [66-67].
Learn more about risk-lowering drugs and other options for women at high risk of breast cancer.
Updated 04/22/13
